About: XOWER, CRISES, BIPED, CRWDSPCR, SPLIT SIDES

With John Cage’s Aria and Fontana Mix performed live, and décor by Robert Rauschenberg, Merce Cunningham’s latest work XOVER engages 13 dancers. At its heart it is a beautiful duet.

In Programme1, XOVER is presented alongside an early collaboration with Rauschenberg for five dancers, and BIPED (bite00), that explores new possibilities for technology and dance in the form of ‘virtual choreography’. Programme 2 offers another chance to see XOVER, this time alongside
CRWDSPCR (1993), featuring John King’s blues ‘99, and Split Sides (bite04), with music by Radiohead and Sigur Rós.

Complementing the two triple bills is a variety of associated film and education events, celebrating Merce Cunningham’s return to the Barbican for bite’s 10th anniversary.

XOVER is a co-commission of barbicanbite08, London and the Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH. XOVER was made possible through public support by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Part of Dance Umbrella 2008

Dubbed ‘the world’s greatest living choreographer’ by the Wall Street Journal, Merce Cunningham is one of the major artistic forces of the past 50 years. The company has a history of successful music and design partnerships with artists including John Cage, Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns. The Company returns to the Barbican for the sixth time, once more as part of Dance Umbrella’s annual festival. XOVER will be the fifth work of Cunningham’s that bite has co-commissioned.

Reviews

‘You watch with your heart in your mouth.’ The New York Times on CRISES